The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-21


Of logs and sticks, daubcd with mud rs
sort of fireproofng. Occasionally
chunks of the burnt clay fall out and the
chimney takes fire, but a gourd OF water
generally quenches the incipient blaze.
1t was Just such frontier cabin as this
that Axelman lived in with his wife and
two children. They were poor people;
more improvident than idle, but kind
hearted nevertheless. Mrs. Cartner
was in very impecunious circumstances
also, and felt well contented TO have an
abiding place in this family. She was
nearly 60 years of age, and bed-ridden
with paralysis. The family frequently
left her alone for hours ut time, us
she seldom wanted anything but lit
tie to cat and drink. IL was while the
family were all away Saturday evening
at the country store that the old lady
was fatally burned. The presumption,
in the absence of any other evidence,
is that the chimney took fire, and the
helpless paralytic, being unable to move
from the couch, was forced TO lie there
until the flames took possession OF the
house and put IN end TO her suilcrings.
When the Axelman family returned
from their shopping and discovered
their home in ruins it was hoped that
Mrs. Cartner had by some miracle cs-
capped. They searched for her and
then summoned the neighbors for two
or three miles around. When they
came the old logs were smoldering in Il
great bed of embcrs. While waiting
for the fire 10 cool rake was brought
TO the pyre. Sturdy hands lifted il up
and let it drop with the prongs down
into the fiery bed just over the spot
where the old lady was last seen alive.
Then with quick, strong pull the
charred remains were dragged out on
the ground. Nothing but the trunk re-
manned for the coroncr's jury to gaze
at, and all they learned was what is
narrated in the foregoing.
The other catastrophe happened at
night when the inmates were all asleep
in log cabin where johnson Claiborne
with his wife and five children lived,
not far from Eureka. They were color
cd people. All of them slept in the
single room of the cabin excepting the
unlucky girl. She occupied the loft,
OF attic, and made her nightly ascent
by means of ladder through the only
opening in the ceiling, near the fire
place. 1t was during the extreme cold
weather. The fireplace had been piled
high with logs to last over night, and
everybody in the house had gone 10
sleep. A little after midnight Clai'
borne's wife awakened from the effects
of a sitting smoke, and discovered the
fireplace and roof in full blaze. There
was not minute to spare, for high
wind was then blowing the smoke and
flames through the hut, giving the
family downstairs barely time TO es
cape alive. Not word or Il cry was
heard from the girl in the attic, bu
when the ire subsidized. enough of hei
remains were found to prove that she
had persisted in the flames. 1t is pre-
sumed that she became suiiocated will
the smoke, or was so exhausted whei
she discovered her danger she coul'
rive no alarm. When her parents go
out there was nothing they could do t.
help her, as the fire was burning fierce
ly near the chimney and the roof wa
in blaze from one end to the other. -
50. Louis Globe Democrat.